Yemen

The Republic of Yemen is an Arab country at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. One of the Arab world's poorest countries, Yemen has been caught up in a war since March 2015. The conflict is between forces loyal to President Abdrabnuh Mansour Hadi, whose government is recognized internationally, and people aligned with the Houthi rebel movement. Air strikes by a multinational coalition led by Saudi Arabia have been responsible for most of the 6,800 deaths and 35,000 injuries. (Source: BBC)

Trump's first military action as president was to authorize strikes by drones, something Obama was criticized for doing. Over the weekend following Trump's inauguration, 75 people were killed in fighting in Yemen, some in drone strikes Trump authorized. The United States did not take responsibility for the drone strikes, as had been standard policy. Drone strikes are controversial in part because little congressional oversight is required. Human rights activists also fear civilian casualties are underreported.

One commando was killed and civilian casualties were also likely, raising doubts about the planning of the counterterrorism operation, the first authorized by President Trump.mobile.nytimes.com(See also First 100 Days)

2017.02.02

The U.S. military said on Wednesday it was looking into whether more civilians were killed in a raid on al Qaeda in Yemen on the weekend, in the first operation authorized by Trumpmobile.reuters.com(See also First 100 Days)

2017.02.02

The White House says a deadly raid in Yemen was long planned in Washington. Not true, Trump administration owns the consequences say officials who served Obama,washingtonpost.com(See also First 100 Days)

U.S. military officials say Trump approved his first covert counterterrorism operation without sufficient intelligence, ground support or adequate backup preparations, leading to civilian and U.S. deaths.mobile.reuters.com(See also Administration Errors, First 100 Days)

2017.02.02

US military officials say Trump approved counterterrorism operation without sufficient intelligence or ground support as questions mount over botched Yemen raid.theguardian.com(See also First 100 Days)

The mission had been prepared under the Obama administration but it had not been approved.

Yemen withdraws permission for U.S. antiterror ground missions in a setback for Trump due to civilian casualties incurred in Trump's poorly vetted first raid.mobile.nytimes.com(See also First 100 Days)

Yemen, angry with civilian casualties after raid, suspends permission for U.S. to run Special Operations ground missions against suspected terrorist groups there—a huge setback for Trump.nytimes.com(See also Administration Errors)

The father of Ryan Owens, the Navy SEAL killed in Trump's botched raid in Yemen, refuses to meet with Trump, says he wants answers: "Don’t hide behind my son’s death."miamiherald.com

2017.02.28

In an interview on Fox, Trump appears to shift blame for a SEAL's death in the Yemen raid to generals, while still claiming it to be a success.thehill.com(See also First 100 Days)

2017.07.14

A federal court judge agreed once again to partially halt the ban of certain foreign nationals from six predominantly Muslim countries on a nationwide basis - a direct rebuke to the government's attempt to limit the close family members allowed in the US - allowing "grandparents, grandchildren, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins of persons in the United States" to gain entry into the country.cnn.com(See also Legal Activity, Muslim Immigration Ban, Syria, Iran, Supreme Court)